Geoege chapman



(No Model.) 7

G. CHAPMAN.

HARVESTER.

Patented Dec. 6, 1887.

GEORGE CHAPMAN, OF ROCKFORD,

NITE STATES ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EMERSON,

TALCOTT & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,521, dated December 6, 1887.

Application filed May 15, 1886. Serial No. 202,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that I, GEORGE CHAPMAN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing in the mechanism with either his foot or-hand, or

its application.

both.

Figure l is an isometrical representation of my improvements in connection with such portions of a mowing-machine necessary to show Fig. 2 is aside elevation with one wheel omitted and portions broken away to show the parts more clearly.

The severalparts consist of the carryingwheels 1, main frame 2, mounted on the carrying-wheels, seat 3, supported on the main frame, and tongue 4, fixed to the frame, a coupling-bar, 5, having a free hinged connection at one end with the main frame, and ashoe, 6,

with finger-bar 7, fixedthereto. Hinge jointed to the yoke arms 8 of the coupling-bar are parts common to mowing-machines, and, in connection with a cutting apparatus and other parts necessary to a complete machine, may be any of the known forms capable of usein connection with my improvements, to be l1ereinafter more fully described. A ratchet-toothed segment, 9, of bracket construction, is fixed to the main frame or tongue of the machine. A segment-sheave,10,withlever-arm 11 attached, is pivoted to the toothed segment-bracket c011- centric with the segment, to oscillate on its pivotal support. A liftingchain, 12, connects the segmentsheave with the couplingarm of the cutting apparatus, by which the cutting apparatus is raised and lowered by the up-and-down movement of the lever. A

. spring-actuated pawl, 13, is pivotally connected with the segmentsheave of the lever, in position to engage the teeth of the ratchet, to regulate the running height of the cutter or hold the cutting apparatus elevated. A suitable number of the ratchet-teeth at the forward end of the segment are partially or wholly produced on radial lines to receive the square detent end of thepawl, to hold the lever in its adjusted position to permit the cutting apparatus to float in the usual lnanner to adapt itself to the inequalities of the ground independent of the lifting mechanism. -A combined foot-pedal and thumb-lever, consisting of the upper or thumb portion, 14, and a foot-v pcdal portion, 15, hinge-jointed at their cen tral connection, as at 21, in a manner to fold .on each other, with the pedal-arm of the foot portion overlapping the free end of the upper portion, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is pivoted near its hingeconnection to the free end portion of theliftinglever, and is capable of an oscillatory movement on its pivotal con-.-

nection with the lever in the lengthwise direction of the machine, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A rod, 16, connects the pawl 13 with the upper portion, 14, of the combined.

foot-pedal and thumb-lever above its pivotal connection with the lifting-lever in such a manner that the forward movement of the lower foot-pedal portion, 15, or the rearward movement of the-upper or thumb portion, 14, will disengage the pawl from the teeth of the segment-ratchet to permit a free movement of the lifting-lever. Aspring, 17, surrounds the rodbetween its connection with the pawl and an eye, 18, employed as a support to the rod, fixed in the lifting-lever, and its spring action tends to hold the pawl engaged with the ratchetsegment. The upper or rear end of the rod 16 in its connection with the upper portion of the foot-pedal or thumb-lever is passed through an eye, 19, having a swivelconnection with the thumb-lever, to permit a free sliding movement of the swivel-eye support endwise on the rod in the rearward swinging movement of the foot-pedal or the forward swinging movement of its thumb-lever arm.

To hold the spring-actuated pawl disengaged from the segment-ratchet, a detent-link, 20, is pivoted in the free end of the lifting-lever to embrace the free end of the thumb-lever when pressed rearward, as shown broken in Fig. 1, and permits the free vertical movement of the lever, and consequentlya free floating move ment of the cutting apparatus, to conform to the undulatory surface or inequalities of the ground, and to enable the driver, by means of his foot, to lift the cutting apparatus to override obstructions without interfering with his management of the team.

In use the driver mounted in his seat is in position to place his foot upon the pedal-arm of the foot-lever, and a forward movement of his foot will carry the pedal-arm forward and disengage the pawl from the segment-ratchet, when a downward pressure of his foot on the pedal-arm will lift the cutting apparatus, or an upward movement of the foot will permit the cutting apparatus to descend, and a rearward movement of the foot-pedal will permit the pawl to engage the teeth of the segment to hold the cutting apparatus in its adjusted position.

The several operations last above described to adjust and manage the cutting apparatus maybe performed by hand by means of the free handle end of the lifting-lever and its thumb-lever attachment. The depression of the free end of the lifting-lever to raise and support the cutting apparatus in position for transportation will place the pedal-arm in position toengage obstructions in the travel of the machine; but its pivotal connection with the lifting-lever and its sliding connection with the rod connecting it with the pawl-detent will permit it to swing rearward to override obstructions without injuring the parts.

In adjusting the machine for transportation I prefer to turn the foot-pedal portion of the combined foot and hand lever upon its hinged connection, as shown in the dotted-line position in Fig. 1, which places it out of danger.

I do not wish to confine myself to the combined foot and hand lever mechanism, as it is evident that the hand attachment may be dis pensed with and the apparatus still be an bined hand and foot lever, hinge-jointed as described, and pivotally secured upon the lifting-lever, apawl pivoted to said liftinglever, and a rod connecting said combined hand and foot lever with said pawl, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the main frame and cutting mechanismhung thereto, ofthelifting-lever and the supplemental foot-lever,aseg- .ment-rack on the frame, a pawl pivoted tothe lifting-lever to engage the rack,and a rod connecting the pawl with the foot lever,and having a free connection, substantially such as a swiveled guide, with the foot-lever, to permit a rearward swinging movement of the footlever. substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a combined hand and foot lever, of a segment-rack provided with radial and tangentially extending teeth, as described, and a pawl pivoted on the lifting-lever to engage said teeth, as set forth.

4. The combination,with a hand-lever, segmental sheave, cutting apparatus connected to thelatter, the toothed segment, and the pawl on the lever to engage the teeth of the segment, of a combined thumb and foot lever pivoted to swing freely on the hand-lever and mechanism to connect the pawl to the combined thumb and foot lever, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE CHAPMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. S. LINGL'E, O. J .,BUTT. 

